1 Nicolas Gorjestani, The World Bank Using Indigenous Knowledge to Adapt Global Best Practices to Local Conditions: The World Bank Experience Presentation

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Nicolas Gorjestani, The World Bank

Using Indigenous Knowledge to Adapt Global Best Practices to Local Conditions:

The World Bank Experience

Presentation to APQC’s Fourth Knowledge Management Conference

San Antonio, Texas

May 26, 2000

Nicolas Gorjestani

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What we will share today

Part I: World Bank’s Knowledge Framework– Who we are, what we do– Evolution of knowledge sharing strategy– Lessons of experience

Part II: Learning from the Client – Role of Indigenous Knowledge– The process of adaptation

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Who we are...

International organization Owned by 180 governments 9000 staff; 100+ nationalities Regional offices in 100+ countries ~40% operational staff in the field

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What we do...

Help design/finance development programs reconstruction of Europe developing countries fighting poverty

Leverage ideas and financial resources Largest single source of development finance Raise funds from capital markets/contributions

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Our competitive advantage...

Knowledge of development practices over 50 years 100+ countries variety of sectors

Largest source of development knowledge under one roof

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World Bank mission statement

To help people help themselves and their environment, by providing resources, sharing knowledge...

To fight poverty with passion and professionalism for lasting results

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How we got here...

The age of pioneers (1995-1996) Scaling up the “Knowledge Bank” (1997-99) The age of integration & adaptation (2000 >)

Three Phases

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Knowledge

management

Knowledge

sharing

=

Jargon Plain English

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Tax policy and administration thematic group

October/November 1998

Public expenditure review

Madagascar:

In the past:“We’ll get

back to you”

Should VAT (value added tax)

be applied to medicines?

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Madagascar: should VAT (value

added tax) be applied to medicines?

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Task manager in Madascar: how

desirable are specific reforms to the VAT

(value added tax) that the client was

contemplating?


Within 72 hours...

Late October1998Public expenditure

reviewMadagascar:

should VAT (value added tax) be applied

to medicines?

Indonesiafield office

MNA Region

ECA Region

DEC

Retired

University of

Toronto

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Madagascar: should VAT (value

added tax) be applied to medicines?

The advice received

shaped the Bank position as

communicated to Govt, IMF and

donors In the new finance

law, medicines are

exempted from VAT

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Global experience on exemptions from VAT

KMS

Expected

The experience will be edited for re-use

and entered into the knowledge base

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Increasingly The client can get

this kind of material in minutes

Future

Global experience on exemptions from VAT

KMS

How to make this real ?How to make this real ?

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While technology is a facilitator

Sharing depends on community

Indonesiafield office

ECA Region

MNA Region

DEC

Retired

AFR Region

University of

Toronto

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Knowledge & Learning Framework

What we Know & Don’t Know?

know don’t know

don

’t k

now

kn

ow

what we know we don’t know

what we don’t know we don’t know

what we know we know

what we don’t know we know

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Knowledge & Learning Framework

How to Share & Learn?

internal externalexternal

exte

rnal

inte

rnal

kn

owle

dge

sou

rces

kn

owle

dge

sou

rces learn from

peers, clients

share with, learn from global networks

learn from each other by sharing

share with clients, partners

knowledge usersknowledge users

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Initially, the focus was on

building a

knowledge base

Knowledge baseknowledge objects

The evolution of knowledge sharing

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Knowledge base knowledge

objects

Then the focus shifted to

knowledge communities

Communities of practice 100+ thematic

groups


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Health partners

Education partners

Private sector partners

Transport partners

Agriculture partners

External partners


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Community of practice: the thematic group

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Community of practice: the thematic group

Most members are in Regions

Some staff are

anchorsExternal

partners

TGs are front-line practitioners

100+ thematic groups

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Doing while

learningKnowledgesharing

Connecting through

communitiesof practice

Sharingknowledgewithin the

team

Informal learningclinics

Collecting knowhow

and sharing

Distancelearning

Study tours

Computer based

learning

Learning while doing

Learning

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Knowledge sharing

Learning

Ecological approach

Information management

Intellectual capital

Engineering

approach

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Knowledge sharing

Learning

Ecological approach

Information management

Intellectual capital

Knowledge as an asset

Knowledge as information

Knowledge as as an activity

Knowledge as

people

We need all four approaches

Engineering

approach

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What we have learned...

It’s a long journey >> need relentless repetitionneed relentless repetition It’s not one “thing” > > it’s a series of small stepsit’s a series of small steps Sharing & learning >> two sides of sametwo sides of same coincoin It’s not about tools > > it’s about people/communitiesit’s about people/communities It will stay a “fad” >> integrate K into core businessintegrate K into core business

It’s not about rules > > it’s about behaviorsit’s about behaviors Adapt K to setting >> key to client satisfactionkey to client satisfaction

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Integrate knowledge into quality process

Road Map for Leveraging KnowledgeRoad Map for Leveraging Knowledge Systematic process to:Systematic process to:

Learn before, during, and after the task Provide teams with timely best advice Ensure that the advice is used

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1. Roles and responsibilities2. Assessment of knowledge needs3. Resource allocation4. When and how advice is given5. Ensuring that advice is used6. Adapting global practices6. Adapting global practices7. Capturing lessons of experience

Core Elements of the Road Map

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6. Adapting knowledge to the local setting

Institutional context of global practice? Setting where practice is to be replicated?

Indigenous knowledge systems to build on to

make global practice relevant to the community? Adjustments to global practice, phasing or local

institutions to make the practice work well?

Learning from the client Learning from the client and helping the client learn and helping the client learn

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Part II: Adapting global practices

Role of Indigenous Knowledge The adaptation process

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Genesis of IK Program

GK 97 Conference in Toronto Vision of truly global knowledge partnership will be realized

only when the poor participate as both users and contributors of knowledge

Learning from clients & helping them learn

Client Feed Back Surveys 40 percent “knowledge adaptation gap”

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What IK Achieved in Mozambique

Traditional authorities and local administration

managed 500,000 land transactions and

settled 5 million refugees and displaced persons in two years

Used only local knowledge and capacity

no external assistance from government, donors or NGOs

no conflicts over land and rights

Impact: small holders re-launch agricultural growth

How long would it have taken government & donors?

Case of post-conflict resettlementCase of post-conflict resettlement

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What IK Achieved in Senegal

Adult education course by TOSTAN apply literacy to solve a community problem learn about the consequences of circumcision on the health of girls abolish the practice after sharing experiences within the community

Exchange experiences with other communities involve male spiritual leaders obtain presidential approval for the “Oath of Malicounda”

Impact: More than 16 communities abolish the practice within 18 months Senegal officially abolishes practice in December 1998

Case of women of MalicoundaCase of women of Malicounda

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What IK Achieved in Burkina Faso

Learning in local languages 15,000 learners in Gulmancema language (41% women) 4,000 literacy centers (3,000 schools using French) 52% of the successful literacy center students were women

Impact Higher literacy rates than in French Writing and numeracy correspondence, record keeping Preserving cultural heritage

Case of local language literacy centersCase of local language literacy centers

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Embedded in Culture Critical Element of Global Knowledge Foundation for Human and Social Capital Gateway to Empowerment Key to Sustainable Development

Indigenous Knowledge is . . .

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Tools to capture & integrate IK

IK practices data base (120 cases) “IK Notes” publication (20 in print & Internet) “IK Report: A Framework for Action” Website: www.worldbank.org/html/afr/ik/index.htm

First local language website Enhance capacity of IK centers in countries Funding of IK resource persons for task teams “Knowledge Packs”

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Integrating IK in Development Programs

Agricultural Research & Training Project II focuses research activities on local practices disseminates successful IK practices

National Strategy on Utilization of IK establishes national focal point for IK organizes national forum to draft IK policy integrates IK in poverty alleviation strategy

Case of Uganda

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Building local communities of practice

Engage

Exchange Learn

Influence

Healers

Farmers

Hunters

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Botanists

Ministry of Health

DoctorsPharmacists

WHO/ World Bank Specialists

Researchers

PHC providers

Leveraging Global & Local Knowledge Networks

Health Care CBOs/ NGOs

Traditional Healers

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Balanced Flow of Knowledge

Local Global

Networks

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The new knowledge frontier

Adaptation

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Practices

Adaptation

Institutions Behaviors

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Adapting BehaviorsIt’s a mindset thing…..

humility

curiosity listening

learning

trusting

hearing

patience

empathy

...and

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Adapting Behaviors

…ask the right questions !?

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Adapting Institutions

Providing a framework within which adaptation occurs in a consultative and participatory manner to facilitate ownership and eventual sustainable adoption

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Adapting Practices

Testing, complementing, substituting, or altering a technologies or processes, to make them fit within the physical, social and economic conditions and the utilization purposes of a local community

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Time

Provider

Recipient

Enabler

Deg

ree

of I

nvo

lvem

ent

Adaptation Process

Provider

Recipient

Enabler

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Enabler’s role varies over time...

Nature

IntensityInstruments

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local externalexternal

exte

rnal

loca

l

K -

sou

rce

K -

sou

rce

K- useK- use

Adaptation Framework


exte

rnal

loca

l

K -

sou

rce

K -

sou

rce

K- useK- use

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exte

rnal

loca

l

K -

sou

rce

K -

sou

rce

K- useK- use

Adaptation Framework

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Uganda:RESCUER project in Iganga District

PHCs partner with traditional birth attendants link attendants to health units thru ‘walkie-talkies’ attendants serve as referral points more women receive health services

Impact: maternal deaths decline by 50% in 3 years

Lesson: Appropriate technology can help to enable & empower local communities by leveraging global and local knowledge systems

External Knowledge for Local Use

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But the Bank is not a storehouse of universally applicable knowledge just waiting to be transferred. That is why it should empower its clients to tap global knowledge, connect clients to one another and to other sources of experience, and learn with them about what works.

OED 1999 Annual Review of Development Effectiveness

Documents

1 Nicolas Gorjestani, The World Bank Using Indigenous Knowledge to Adapt Global Best Practices to Local Conditions: The World Bank Experience Presentation